The return to school opens a perfect opportunity to try something new. Whether it is a new sport, or maybe an interesting class, people should strive to challenge themselves whenever possible. For some LGBTQ+ students, school is not necessarily the safest place for them to be. However, with a positive attitude and the motivation to affect their community, students can make the upcoming school year one to remember.
In many schools in the Philadelphia area, adequate sex education is nonexistent. For this reason, LGBTQ+ students may feel misunderstood among their peers. In times like this, it can feel like the world is against you. However, building a support system and networking with likeminded people can make this ache feel a lot less severe.
The first step would be to visit your school’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) or equality club found under a different name. These people will be the ones you go to when you need support from events that may happen in school, and you will most likely be the closest to them. Creating a family within the school may be useful in situations where a staff member or student may discriminate against you, or can help create a safe haven in case of distress. Having a support system within your school can help you feel like you belong and group you with people who understand you.
In the case you don’t have a GSA or its equivalent in your school, or perhaps you would like to branch out of your school’s community, there are many opportunities in the Philadelphia area. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization, as well as Mazzoni Center, have youth leadership organizations that plan events geared towards the young LGBTQ+ population in the city. Being involved with these organizations can help you find your voice in your school and teach you information that you may not have learned in the classroom. In addition, you will gain experience in taking a more aggressive role as an LGBTQ+ ambassador, which can build your résumé for future prospects.
To complement the local opportunities for young LGBTQ+ people, you may also find opportunities on a national level. Highly competitive leadership groups like the Student Media Ambassador program at the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Youth Advisory Council at The Trevor Project give priceless, all-expenses-paid opportunities to students who act as national representatives of their respective organizations. Appearing in the press and meeting famous LGBTQ+ icons in the United States are some of the many things you can do if you make it into these highly coveted youth groups. Being involved in LGBTQ+ affairs on a national platform can teach you how to stand up for your rights and speak up for others.
The overarching theme with all of these groups is to be yourself and show the world that it’s OK to be different than the “norm.” While allied friends may support you, it’s also important to be educated in the community you associate yourself with. Without my involvement during high school, I wouldn’t be nearly as confident in myself as I am now. When you learn that LGBTQ+ people are still fighting for equal rights, that the trans* community still holds a large stigma and that some people still believe sexuality and gender are synonymous, it can make you more passionate in what you’re doing.
See it as a résumé builder, a way to supplement your education, to make your open essays more interesting and to build your confidence. No matter if you are in middle school or university, there is an abundance of LGBT resources, especially in the Philadelphia area. And remember, it’s never too late to learn about yourself.
Jada Gossett, 18, is a freshman at Drexel University.